It is not an easy task as a gardener to deter cats. Some people like to use technology and repelling methods like an ultrasonic cat repelled in their quest to deter cats. But do they impact other wildlife? Do ultrasonic cat repellers affect hedgehogs too?
Yes, ultrasonic cat repellers can affect hedgehogs similarly to other animals such as foxes, dogs and cats.
No experiments have been done that show that ultrasonic cat repellers affect hedgehogs. However, since these repellers affect dogs and cats, they are likely to affect hedgehogs too.
What Cat Repellents are Safe for Hedgehogs?
Gardeners are always worried about keeping cats out. Cats can become a problem for gardeners as they poop and pee in the soil. This affects the health and quality of plants.
Also, cat poop is dangerous for human health as it contains parasites. It is important to repel cats. But, it would be best if you used ways to repel cats that are safe for hedgehogs and other wildlife too.
Motion-Activated Sprinkler
If you still wish to go down the technology route, you can repel the cat using a motion-activated sprinkler.
This is a good option if you are comfortable using technology. When a cat enters your garden, the sprinkler gets activated. Cats hate water, and just a few sprinkles will be enough to keep them away.
This method is not harmful to hedgehogs as they are not scared of water, and a few sprinkles will not hurt them.
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Strong Scents
There are other ways you can use to repel cats. The most important part of dealing with cats is to use scents. Cats have a strong sense of smell, making them sensitive to powerful scents.
There are many scents that cats hate. For instance, you can avoid using citrus. Cats hate the smell of citrus. So, you can use lemon rinds, grapefruits, oranges in your garden. You can also grind the rinds and sprinkle the powder in your soil.
Sprays
Moreover, you can create your own cat deterrent spray. You can make a spray by adding some citrus juice to the water. You can spray the mix on your plants anywhere cats often come and go.
Other flavourings can be added to your mix such as vinegar, garlic, rosemary, lavender, citronella or pepper – all strong smells which repel cats.
Do Ultrasonic Cat Repellents Affect Other Animals?
Other than hedgehogs, ultrasonic cat repellents can also affect other animals. Not only cats, but this method can also impact dogs. In addition, you may wish to look out for any pets you have if you plan on using ultrasonic cat repellents.
Ultrasonic cat repellents work by emitting a sound that animals can hear but humans do not. While this sound will not hurt ears, it can pose other problems.
If you have any pets in your home or have hedgehogs coming in constantly, it would be a good idea to do a test. Some animals react badly to the device, while others face no problem.
If there are any signs of distress and stress, you should never take them lightly.
Do Ultrasonic Cat Repellers Affect Birds?
No, ultrasonic cat repellers are unlikely to impact birds, fortunately. This is good news as one of the reasons you might be trying to deter cats is to protect birds in your garden.
Do Ultrasonic Cat Repellers Affect Foxes?
Yes, some foxes will be disturbed by the ultrasonic sound made by cat repellers and will leave the area immediately. With that being said, they do not seem to impact all foxes.
How to Know If Ultrasonic Cat Repellents Affect Animals
One important aspect of knowing the ultrasonic cat repellents is knowing when they are effective. Unfortunately, this device may repel cats, but it can also affect other wildlife and pets.
One of the drawbacks of using ultrasonic cat repellents is that you cannot control who the sound waves reach.
For instance, if you have a pet dog, you will notice that it will start looking for the sound source. Some dogs, however, can give different reactions to the repellents.
Some of the common signs include being stressed and distressed because of the noise. Moreover, animals can become more alert to their sounds or start making sounds to make the noise go away. Some animals are sensitive and will not be able to handle the sound.
If that is a problem, you must look for other ways to repel cats.
Summary
One prevalent problem for gardeners is repelling cats. Unlike other pests such as certain insects, you will have to look for ways to repel which do not harm them.
One of the ways you can keep cats away from your garden is to use ultrasonic cat repellers.
These work to emit a noise that cats hate. However, the downside is that this can also affect hedgehogs and other animals.
Ryan is a keen gardener from the UK who’s spent years dealing with countless, common pests over the years so knows the ins and outs of how to deal with pests in the garden
